James “Jim” D. Kohlenberg

LIVINGSTON – James “Jim” Kohlenberg, age 79, passed away on Sunday, October 15, 2023, at Edenbrook of Platteville. James was born on December 6, 1943; the son of Carter and Lorraine (Schneider) Kohlenberg. He graduated from Lancaster High School in 1962 and then from UW-Platteville in 1966. On April 2, 1966, Jim married his high school sweetheart, Janet Breihan. She preceded him in death on December 5, 2017. Together, they raised three wonderful children.

After graduation from UW-Platteville, Jim spent 9 years teaching math at Iowa-Grant. In addition to his time spent teaching, Jim served for 18 years on the Iowa-Grant school board, where he served as president. He also served as president of the state school board association for 9 years. Jim served 18 years on the Southwest Technical College board as a business representative. While part of the Iowa-Grant school district, Jim spent time coaching football, wrestling, and track. In 1979, Jim started Jim’s Building Center. He bought and developed Kohlenberg Heights, on the southside of Livingston. Many of the houses there were constructed by Jim’s Building Center. There are even two streets in the development named after his daughters, Jill and Jean. There have been several other projects built and constructed in southwest Wisconsin over the years by Jim’s Building Center. Jim was a member of the Wisconsin Retail Lumber Association, Rural Partners, and Wisconsin Frame Builders Association.

As a resident of Livingston since 1966, Jim had a strong sense of community. He served on the Livingston-Clifton fire department for 35 years and was actively serving on the fire board. He was the village assessor for many years and served on the village board. He also served on the Fennimore Chamber of Commerce. Jim loved supporting the 4-H kids at the livestock auctions. He made many in kind donations and was known to have paid a pretty penny for a pecan pie at local charity auctions. Jim was an active member of the Livingston United Methodist Church where he also served as a trustee. In 1994, Jim represented Wisconsin on a friendship exchange to Russia and just this year was honored as LCIC 2023 citizen of the year.

Although Jim stayed busy with family, work, and community, he always made time for things he enjoyed. Some of Jim’s hobbies over the years have included golfing, attending his grandchildren’s various activities, playing cards, and going out for ice-cream. Jim enjoyed collecting real and toy International tractors. He was an avid Badger basketball and football fan and enjoyed the Packers, Brewers, and PGA golf.

Jim is survived by his 3 children, Jill (Jim) Jentz, Jean O’Neill, and John (Tammy) Kohlenberg; 7 grandchildren: Dusty (Carli) Jentz, Danielle (Trever) Oaks, Shane and Caleb O’Neill, and Dakota, Zachary, and BreAnn Kohlenberg; 2 great grandchildren, Wyatt Jentz and Emmett Oaks; 3 brothers: Robert (Norma) Kohlenberg, Greg (Sue) Kohlenberg, and Bruce (Cathy) Kohlenberg; brother in-law, Charles (Cecelia) Breihan; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife of over 50 years, Janet Kohlenberg; parents, Carter and Lorraine; sister in-law, Cathy (Davis) Kohlenberg; and sister and brother in-law, Pat and Jim Addison.